Let’s Start With an Apology
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We have endured, through the last half of my life, an abject tempest. Our people are going through hell on earth. It has touched not only my heart, but apparently my mind as well. I am not immune to the tortures of man, and even the immortals have endured pain such as mine. For that they have cast down their wroth upon us. Who am I to think I have more reserve, composure, or reservation than the Gods? A mere mortal at the call of Satan, a vassal obeying the behest of God. Nothing more, nothing less. But let me get to the meat and potatoes of my writing.
I’m sure our beloved president is doing the best he can. I’m sure he has the best interest of our country, not only in mind, but in his heart as well. I have confidence he is doing everything he knows to do. Unfortunately, I don’t know if he knows enough to get the job done. Still yet, I want to give him the benefit of the doubt. But somehow doubt is all I can give after examination of the facts.
No matter how much I apologize, no matter how much I recant, we are in trouble ladies and gentlemen. We are in dire straits. Lo, if only I were king, a lowly peasant such as I. One who has had his own house in order since time immemorial, might, just maybe, stay the course and lead our nation to economic prosperity. The course is not difficult. Sagacity, determination and discipline are the keys. Hard decisions. Tough choices. A little pain and sacrifice now for a prosperous future is what’s needed.
And how would I do that you ask? First I would cut the budget by 20% across the board, and I mean across the board. That would mean ending the conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan and bringing troop levels down to a minimum. A savings of billions a month. That means government employees unemployed. Which means less government. Next, I would cut capital gains tax to 5% to succor capital investment. Then I would put a one year hiatus on payroll tax for any company that hires 100 employees or more, which have to stay employed for at least a full year. I would eliminate all tax benefits for companies that take, or have taken, jobs out of the country. I would give a dollar for dollar tax credit of $5,000 per person for every new hire a company engages in a one year period. Lastly, I would make the trade deficit commensurate with all countries, especially China. Then, if more were needed, we would take it from there.
I’m certain one would find, after calculating the figures, that I would have spent less than our current government did in their first stimulus package. The one that has proven fruitless thus far. Like I said, or maybe I didn’t, it isn’t rocket science. Even a proletarian like myself gets a glimmer of light once in awhile.
Comment by Chief Hypocrite on 15 September 2010:
Pro: Your proposals are too simple and understandable thus would be DOA before any body of legislators. Except for “I would eliminate all tax benefits for companies that take, or have taken, jobs out of the country.” That might cause new exceptions to be written for half the tax code.
Comment by proletarian on 15 September 2010:
Chief Hypocrite, would that be objective or humorously sardonic ink I hear from your dripping from your pen?
Comment by Chief Hypocrite on 19 September 2010:
Good question Pro, actually both. Simple solutions are impolitically correct although nominally high on asset allocation fairness which is needed today now that our economy is not growing in assets to be spread around and our pork and safety net is being financed by outsiders.
Our representatives have long been reelected maybe at the 90% level due to the facts of non-democratic gerrymandering, legislating creatively - meaning multiple political exceptions and special tax deals- and bringing home the bacon to local special interest groups as well as local and non local wealth creators, corporations and individuals inside of corporations. It has taken a lot of wealth to be able to afford these costly political maneuvers so greedy politicians can stay in office.
The irony today is that those with a Statist worldview (I proudly refer to our own Nahummer and Snark Twain, my esteemed friends both) continue to mistake the order in which progress occurs. While that order is so much on display today in a hard to miss in our face way from other parts of the world, that I am amazed Statists continue to “misunderestimate” that continuous wealth creation motivation of necessity must come before investors and everyman can participate, however unevenly and by whatever manner it is is distributed. Even distribution removes all wealth creation motivation and is in no way guaranteed by the constitution. Fruitful economics is not a case of the chicken or the egg dilemma.
The US has demonstrated the effectiveness of this systemic wealth creation driven model which has no limits, as opposed to a Chavez or Castro style of cutting up the same or shrinking pile politically, which always causes shortages Wealth creation delivers the goods and would goods would not be available at all without the motivation for and fulfillment of wealth creation.
Today much of the rest of the world whether nominally democratic or functionally authoritarian has decided that a form of capitalism is the only way to continue or start progress in their society, producing more things, more science, more creations people enjoy and thus rulers get to stay in power by minimizing revolutions. Entrepreneurial motivation on both small and large scales whose risk takers then combine their own money and management and utilize or employ the necessary additional investors and labor components, all of whom then ultimately benefit in a robust capitalist environment.
Statist Obama was not born a Statist, he was trained to be a Statist and inculcated by the political populism school of gaining power and so needs to constantly appeal to his base by speaking out of both sides of his mouth by demonizing big business, big oil, greedy people who want to get rich, but excluding the greed and lawlessness of elected politicians and Union Leaders in this demonization of legitimate wealth creations. Disastrously, while he is demonizing wealth creation and existent wealth and its power, Obama reinforces the national suicidal tendency of simple slogans and intellectually dishonest posturing (bane of all politics).
The rest of the world has envied and studied America and is using what has been proven here and which is our best, albeit imperfect export, after all this is a world of people not saints. No political system is going to change that. For any politician or thinking person to continue to demonize while the rest of the world understands that their real hard economic assets are the only things that will improve the lives of the masses is not good for our future in so many, many ways.
All other systems remain lethargic or tribal or incredibly corrupt. Despite simple political slogans, Obama truly does not know of another effectively “progressive” system so he should change his opportunistic politics and focus on some reality for the benefit of all American citizens; it would get him reelected so it remains a possibility.